Many indoor electrical appliances such as vacuum cleaners include an electrical cord having a plug thereon for insertion within an electrical outlet socket. During use of such an appliance it has been found that when the user thereof has reached the extent of the cord there exists a tendency to pull the plug out of the outlet socket thereby cutting of the electrical supply to the appliance.
Similarly, when operating outside appliances such as trimmers, electric lawn mowers, strimmers or the like, there exists the same problem that when the appliance is moved away from the outlet socket, it is easy to pull the electrical plug from engagement within the electrical outlet socket.
Although attempts have been made to tie such an electrical cord around a pipe disposed adjacent to the outlet, such is not always possible, and it is often necessary for the operator to return to the electrical outlet socket to re-establish electrical contact between the plug and the outlet socket.
Although it would be possible to provide an outlet socket with a locking means for locking the plug against removal, the provision of such a device within each outlet socket would be relatively costly.
The present invention provides a simple electrical plug device having a release mechanism whereby the plug can be inserted and locked within an outlet socket and then released from engagement with the outlet socket when the plug is to be removed therefrom.
In another application of the present inventive concept, a safety plug is provided which prevents children or inmates of a mental institution or the like from gaining access to an electrical outlet source.
Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an electrical plug device which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and which makes a considerable contribution to the art of electrical plug devices for insertion within corresponding outlet sockets.
Another objects of the present invention is the provision of an electrical plug device having a first and a second blade for insertion within an outlet socket, the blades being biased relative to each other such that the blades establish an interference fit within the outlet socket so that inadvertent removal of blades from within the outlet socket is inhibited.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of an electrical plug device having a manual release which is connected to at least one of the blades for selectively counteracting the biasing means such that when the releasing means is in a first disposition, the blades are locked within the outlet socket and when the release means is in a second disposition, the blades are released from engagement within the outlet socket so that the removal of the plug from the outlet socket is permitted.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a plug device in which the biasing means is of resilient material for urging the blades away from each other.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of offset portions for increasing the interference fit of the blades within the outlet socket.
Another object of the present invention is the provison of a safety plug for preventing unauthorized access to an outlet supply.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the detailed description contained hereinafter, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings.